Filter media question

This is a discussion on Filter media question within the Beginner Freshwater Aquarium forums, part of the Freshwater Fish and Aquariums category; -->
I'm new to fish keeping and I'm wondering how often I should change the media I have in my filter. Sponges, carbon, etc.
Thanks!...

I'm new to fish keeping and I'm wondering how often I should change the media I have in my filter. Sponges, carbon, etc.
Thanks!

If running carbon, I would change it once a month. For the sponges,I would think them to last a very long time by simply rinsing them out in old aquarium water you take out during changes ,and sticking em back in the filter. Would replace the sponges only when they began to fall apart and would replace them at different intervals not all at same time.
All of this is dependent on mature,(cycled) aquarium. On tanks that are (cycling) I would not replace anything until the tank has (cycled) lest I also remove beneficial bacteria needed for the tank to (cycle).

Agreed with 1077, don't remove the sponges ever, they host a lot of the beneficial bacteria. But you can alternate changing the filter media like he said, just don't remove too much at once... or too often.

Any specific reason why you're running carbon? It's a very debatable topic and is a hit or miss in my opinion. I personally don't run carbon, just another expense, and another thing to worry about replacing. Does have a few good immediate uses though, like removing medicine from water.

1077 nailed it right on the head. Couldn't have put it in better words myself.

What's the make and model of the filter you are running? Just out of curiosity.

Its needed a lot more in a reef though. Especially if you have leather and sps coral in the same tank. The leathers can release toxins in the water that could kill the sps if you weren't running carbon. I'm totally over running carbon in my fresh water tank cause it's planted and is only a 10 gal so a good water change can dilute/fix a water param problem pretty easily.Posted via Mobile Device